We Were Partners
by shalow darkness
Summary: Daniel is sleeping until He hears a knock on the door. When he opens it he sees a seriously injured Rorschach clutching the door frame. Rated M for language in later chapters. could turn into slash.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first Fanfiction ever! I hope you R&R and give me comments on what you would like to see in upcoming chapters. I don't know if this will end up being Dan/Wltr pairing or not. but still I hope you enjoy anyway.**

Daniel finally got to sleep around midnight, it seemed that since the Keene act most of what he was trying to do was live a normal life. Mostly he was bored, bored of living that normal life. There was no excitement in it. He lies to himself and to Hollis when he says that he doesn't miss the crime fighting at odd hours of the night. But he gave it up a little over a year ago, along with other costumed heroes. Not by choice of coarse but rather the Keene Act.

He left all of his hero memorabilia to the basement; there only purpose is to gather dust. Each year added a thick layer to a never forgotten exciting past. He didn't know why he held on to it for all of these years, he was sure that he could sell it to colleges or whoever might be interested in random things 'owl' related, if he wanted. Maybe it was his love for birds and air craft that he kept these things. Maybe he was afraid that if he did clear his basement that it would be like his past had never happened.

His past, back when the masked vigilantes where able to protect the innocent. He always preferred to do his job with the least amount of violence possible. Didn't' seem to work out that way most of the time, but things evened out when he partnered up with Rorschach to try and put a hold on New York's gang activity. While Nite Owl tried to do things calmly Rorschach wouldn't even blink to break a few fingers or snap an arm to get needed information.

Nite Owl never approved of his behavior, especially when Rorschach seemed to block everything else out while beating the living crap out of some criminal in a dark alleyway. Of Course this was after the Blair Roche case. Before his partner let the criminals live and have the police deal with them. But after that night in 1975, he was never the same. He had no mercy for any criminals after that night, they were lucky to make it out alive.

Rorschach refused to give in to the Keene act, is now the only vigilante left, still stocking the dank streets and alleys at night to kick the shit out of criminals, and doing god only knows during the day light hours.

Daniel smiled in his sleep; Dreaming about the old days seemed to be all he had left.

_"Rorschach what did you do!" Nite Owl gaped at the open elevator shaft, and couldn't help but notice that three became two._

_"Asked for it." Rorschach said in what Nite Owl preserved as his 'innocent' tone._

_"But he wasn't even a real villain!"_

_"Was annoying me. You too. Don't deny it." Rorschach paused as if looking for another excuse. "Wanted it any way." He pushed past his partner; Daniel had no Idea that past the swirling mask was a huge grin._

_Captain Carnage, a man who begged for punishment. Claimed he was a super villain. But posed little threat to a child, be just wanted to get a high from a good 'ol fashioned beating from anyone who would give it to him._

_Rorschach did just that. By throwing him down the most conveniently placed broken elevator shaft. The night had turned out promising too, crime actually seemed to take a break after the news of vigilante pairings taking care of the city that the police seemed to be ignoring. It was a blessing for Nite Owl to have a break, but Rorschach seemed restless, it was like he couldn't be happy unless he was kicking the snot out of criminals! _

_"Daniel!" Rorschach called._

_He was a few good feet ahead of Daniel, but his posture and movement didn't seem to change when he called. _

"_What? Hey! Look at me at least if you want to talk! Wait a minuet… I want to talk! Captain Carnage was no threat to you! What gives you the... oh forget it!" he trudged on forward. I didn't seem like Rorschach was going to listen to him at the moment any way. _

"_Daniel!" _

_"What Dammit? Turn around and talk to me!" He was starting to get frustrated when once again: Rorschach wouldn't reply. What was he doing?_

_"DANIEL! WAKE UP!!!!"_

**EDIT**

**I have some free time on my hands and I wanted to try and improve this chapter a bit. Looking it over it was absolutely horrible. I added a little more detail into a few paragraphs and make this a little less boring. I want more care into my first fan fiction. To my reviewers you will be glad to know that I keep a dictionary next to me while typing now. I also upped my collection to more than just the movie. I now have the graphic novel and the film companion at my side. I'll start working on chapter 3 soon.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay here is a longer chapter. I hope this doesn't run on to much. it is in my best interest to make this written as I have it in my head. It's a bit difficult for me to do that even though I draw a lot. I'm used to seeing an image and getting it on paper. but writing is way different. I hope it gets easier. I also hope that this indeed indup as chapter 2 and not a new story all together. This place is terribly confusing. ... Any way i hope you enjoy XD**

Daniel Jerked out of his sleep to here pounding and yelling at his front door.

"What the hell?" he whispered to the darkness. At one moment he was in a memory, now he was in his cramped little room. Momentarily confused. Heart racing, he turned his bedside lamp on, He got up and took a quick glance at his clock: 3:30 AM. He started cautiously down his stairs to the front door.

"God sakes, Daniel, Wake up!" the voice sounded as if it were weakening, and the rapid beating on his door turned into dull thuds. He recognized the voice now, he would have recognized it sooner but he had never heard it emit this sort of tone before.

"Rorschach?" he tried.

"Please."

_Please?_ _Rorschach never said please._ But that tone was unmistakably Rorschach. He reached for the handle and unlocked it. "Rorschach what the hell!?"

The man before him was clutching the door frame as if he needed it to keep himself up. He was desperately gasping for air. When he looked up Daniel didn't see a face but rather a mask, a mask that resembled ink blot tests doctors used on patients to determine their sanity: Rorschach tests. Something seemed to be dripping through his coat from his right side. Daniel's eyes widened in shock as he realized what it was.

"Blood." He muttered in fear.

"Live close, only one can trust. No…Hospital." He lost his grip on the door frame, and fell forward heavily into Daniels arms. He tried to regain himself but was too weak to get back on his legs, and Daniel was struggling to hold on to the man.

"Rorschach just stop."

He did as told, completely out of breath. "Kitchen." Dan said. Rorschach did his best to stay up and Daniel kind of drug him there. Holding on to him, he feet the warm sticky blood through his fingers from Rorschach's wounds.

Using one hand and leaning the injured man on the right side of his body Daniel quickly swiped his kitchen table clean with his left hand. clearing it from a weeks' worth of clutter.

He helped Rorschach on to the table with as much care as possible, but it wasn't enough when his footing slipped and he ended up hitting the back of his head on the hard surface. Daniel winced when his ex-partner groaned in pain.

Daniel wasn't exactly equipped with the knowledge or equipment to help an injured person. But he knew that Rorschach would rather die in the streets than get professional help. If he trusted Daniel not to take him to the hospital, and believed in him enough to help his injuries, then Daniel would do his best.

"Okay, first things first." He said nervously. "The Layers. Your cloths need to go." Daniel had never seen Rorschach under the stinky trench coat before. _Why am I so nervous? He's just a man right? _

He reached for the belt of the coat. Rorschach tensed up. And he remembered why he felt nervous; Rorschach did not like physical contact. Period. He took another glance at the bleeding wound and found courage.

"Bear with me Rorschach."

"Know what needs to be done." He grunted. He weakly grabbed the ends of his belt and untied it, then tried at the buttons, fumbling and grunting in pain and frustration. He was going to have to forget his strict personal binderies tonight.

Daniel reached for the buttons himself. Rorschach huffed in protest and struggled to get Daniels hands off of him. Daniel swatted his weak hands away. When Rorschach continued to protest, Daniel lost his patients "This is Life or death Rorschach!" He yelled "You're bleeding won't stop on its own Damn it! Now let me help you!" He felt tears stinging his eyes. He can't let them fall though. Rorschach was going to be okay. He waited for a response. It was damn close to being awkward.

"Hurry." Rorschach said. He put his head back and focused on even breathing.

Daniel hurriedly but carefully unbuttoned the coat, and pealed it back along with the pin striped jacket beneath it. He un-tucked the blood soaked wife beater. Rorschach tensed once again, and fought the erge to fight back. He didn't know why he was being difficult, but let's face it. The only contact he's ever had was a simple hand shake or when he was fighting scum on the streets.

"I know, trust me it'll be over soon." Daniel hoped as he tried to make his friend as comfortable as was: Daniel didn't want to do this, he hated the thought that to Rorschach, being touched was worse than any wound, it was apparent the seeping injury was a paper cut compared to being exposed. _Stay focused._

He grabbed a pair of scissors and cut the wife beater up to the collar. Rorschach began shivering; the loss of blood was putting him in the beginning stages of shock. Daniels heart beat went up a bit at the thought of losing his old friend.

The shirt was out of the way but he couldn't make out the wound properly. He found a towel to pat the blood away. He damped it with tap water. "I'm not prepared for this." He whispered. "We need to go to the hospital."

"No…Dan, help me…" was that panic Daniel heard?

He was wishing that Rorschach fell unconscious at the door. That way he could sneak a cab and get to the hospital for professional treatment. But in that reality Rorschach would have to take of his mask for Identification. Daniel didn't want to find out that way. He wanted Rorschach to trust him enough one day that he would take off the swirling mask and revile his true Identity on his own terms.

He began to pat the blood away and winced once again as Rorschach hissed in pain. But now he could clearly see the wound in his side. A bullet wound. The bleeding seemed to stop, but it wasn't enough to be considered taken care of, the bullet obviously needed to be removed, and then he would need stitches, and some kind of pain killer. He has some of these things in his basement. But if Rorschach made it through this, he would need to find an all night pharmacy, to get something more powerful than aspirin.

"Okay Rorschach. I'm going downstairs to get some supplies, I'm not leaving okay, I'll be right back."

A weak grunt in response.

Daniel ran downstairs to his dusty basement. It's been a while since he had been down there but everything was where he left it. He ran on board Archie, his owl ship and grabbed his small first aid kit, he didn't know how helpful it would be but it would have to do. He fumbled back down the stars and went to his work bench, took the covering off and found a pair of forceps that he could use to remove the bullet.

Re-entering the kitchen Rorschach was right where he left him. Not like he thought that he wouldn't be there when he got back.

"Okay, um." He reached for and removed the scarf. Rorschach's breathing quickened in panic as Daniel grabbed the bottom of his mask. He used what was left of his strength to raise his hands and shook his head.

"NO!" he yelled as he struggled to keep his identity safe.

"Rorschach listen to me. I'm not going to take it off okay? I'm just adjusting it to the bridge of your nose. Just like when you eat . . . Alright?"

Rorschach grunted and relaxed a bit as Daniel Adjusted it to fit the bridge of his nose. It exposed freckles and red stubble. Dry lips. _Wait what? _Daniel thought. _Dry _lips_? Focus you moron! _

Opening the first aid kit, he took the alcohol out and pored some on his forceps, His hands were shaking. He took it as a sign that he would be as ready as he ever was going to be.

Rorschach growled in pain as Daniel began fishing out the bullet. He could feel the distinct 'tink' that a bullet (or bone) would make, he tried to get the forceps around the object to pull it out, trying his best to ignore Rorschach and his. A few more worried moments then he got it, and quickly removed the foreign object.

"Got it!" He held up the forceps in pride as if it were the most amazing achievement ever. "Rorschach I got it! . . ." His heart stopped when he noticed Reproach's lack of response. _No. Was I too late? Why didn't I work faster? _Regret and pain surged through his body like lava.

"Rorschach?" Daniel studied his chest for any signs of movement. Then breathed a huge sigh of relief to see shallow breaths escape Rorschach's chest. He wiped his eyes in relief; he didn't even notice he was crying. But he got himself together; there was still work to do. He glanced at the clock again as he set to cleaning and stitching: 4:52 AM, but it didn't matter how much sleep he lost tonight. Rorschach was going to make it.

**This took forever to get out. I typed it quickly too and didn't do much of the reading it over part. Any who. **

**Thanks to my two reviewers so far! Advice is good. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm rambling.**

**Edit: now that I'm more familiar with finding the editing page I went back and fixed an ass ton of typos and another small horrible mistake. I fixed some of the more awkward sentences while I was at it. **

**ALSO. I want to buy the comic, but there are like three different ones. Are any of them _actually _different? or are they all the same. I just want to buy one, i love extra stuff too, so .... any sudgestions?  
**


	3. Chapter 3

" _I admit it! I killed her, now take me in!"_

_No.__ Rorschach thought. This filthy, fucking scum did not deserve to rot in a cell for life. If he even got that. Rorschach had to make sure of it. However he continued to struggle with himself, he thought he knew justice; he thought law enforcement did the right thing, and that he was just helping them a bit. Leading them in the right direction. But it wasn't enough. How could he be sure this one will stay in prison . . .? He can't. Not unless he finished him himself. _

_He grabbed the clever Gerald undoubtedly used on Blair. His prisoner began pleading and muttering something, but Rorschach was beyond listening or reasoning. He paced back and forth struggling with himself and his decision of what he knew had to be done. Gripping the object, getting a feel for it; his breathing started to quicken as his pulse began beating to dangerous levels. _

_Gerald was still muttering. Rorschach could no longer hear him._

_He was furious not only with the terrified man before him. But with the system as well. He had been wrong. He had been too soft. The world was in black and white. He thought the justice system was with him on this notion. But if they did their job right would this scum have succeeded in killing the little girl that Rorschach promised to bring home? No, they are not right. The police are soft. The system is grey, murky, and unjust._

_He made his decision._

_With a blind rage he brought down the force of the clever to Gerald's head, killing him instantly. Anger filled his body. _

_"Men..." He managed. "Go to prison... Dogs... Get put down!" the first blow wasn't enough, he kept going. Kept chopping, tremors of impact shook his arm. Warm blood splattered his face._

_He didn't remember stopping or even leaving the house, but he found himself in a secluded alley some distance away. He leaned against a building and slumped down to his knees. He removed his mask in a daze and studied it. Studied his 'face'. Black on white in a perfect balance, with sticky blood staining it. Gingerly he set it down at his side and rested his head on his arms._

_He was too late. Blair Roche was dead, Walter Kovaks and his ideals died with her too. From now on only Rorschach. Rorschach, who knows that deep down criminals had to die when caught, not one day, not one hour or even seconds after wards. _

_Reality began to creep on him, and as much as he tried to avoid it, he cried. He cried for all the evil in the world, he cried for Blair Roche, he cried for Walter. He shoved his palms in his eyes and tried to hush himself. Tried to breath but his lungs betrayed him, his breath came in ragged gasps. He hated himself for being soft and showing weakness to the darkness. Finally he seemed to get control of himself and put his blood stained 'face' in its' proper place, abandoning his disguise. A single tear dripped off his chin before the mask could absorb it. It would be the last time he shed a tear for anything. _

Rorschach woke up in what he was sure was Daniels apartment, he could feel and smell the leather couch beneath him. It would have been risky and inconvenient for Daniel to drag him upstairs to the spare bedroom after the ordeal.

Rorschach remembered being shot, he remembered struggling to Daniels apartment, and he remembered the pain as the bullet was being removed. He knew his throat was dry. Probably from sleeping with his mouth open.

He did a quick check of himself, without opening his eyes. He reached down and felt flannel pajama bottoms... He didn't own flannel pajama bottoms, he also noticed that they were a few good sizes bigger than him. He blushed. The thought of Daniel… changing him, taking off his clothes while he was unconscious. So far he knew that he didn't have any kind of shirt on, and in someone else's pajama bottoms but at least he was under a blanket. _Thank god._ He felt his mask in its rightful place, right where he left it, he could feel a cool breeze on the lower half of his face, a window must be open.

_Why am I not wearing a shirt? Where are my clothes?_ He opened his eyes, he was right about the couch, and he took a quick inventory of the room. No clothes. Feeling naked. _Damnit Daniel_. "Hurm." He didn't like this. Where were his clothes and why was a he wearing Daniels pajamas?

Maybe he could have taken care of himself after the fight. That's ridiculous, he knew it, he's lucky he actually got to Daniels apartment. His own apartment was at least 6 blocks away, maybe further. He never bothered counting. On his way home from patrolling with Night Owl he often ran into trouble, he was never able to just go straight back to his place. He hardly used it any way.

"Rorschach? You're Awake!" Daniel yipped.

"Water!" He didn't hear Daniel walk in and took a mental note that he would have to do his thinking when he was surely alone. _Careless!_ He heard Daniels footsteps disappear into the kitchen and turn into glasses clinking and cabinets closing and water running. Daniel returned with some water and a few pills.

Rorschach tried to sit up so he could drink, but pain and dizziness took over and reminded him what kind of condition he was in. Daniel helped him sit up (with reluctance from Rorschach) but he managed to prop his friend up and let him down the whole glass of water, forgetting the pills. Rorschach wouldn't have taken them anyway.

"How long?" He rasped.

"Have you been out? Of course um, close to four days now."

"Hurm." _Not important _he thought_._ Rorschach took note that he still didn't solve his missing cloths problem. But Daniel beat him to the next question.

"What happened Rorschach? How did you get shot? What the hell have you been doing?" Daniels face was wrought with worry and concern. It made Rorschach uncomfortable. He reached for his mask and adjusted it to its proper place.

"Clothes."

"What? No Rorschach answer my question first. You owe me that much damn it. You don't show up for a year then all of a sudden here you are! Bleeding all over my stoop and kitchen! Too weak to kick in the door even!... Well? How did you get shot?" Daniel demanded. He didn't mean to get hysterical. But there was a time when he thought his friend wouldn't wake up. Regret over came him on day two of Rorschach's unconscious state. He had the phone in his hand ready to call an ambulance until Rorschach began whimpering in his sleep.

"Well?" He tried.

"Mugging in progress. Intervened. Was... careless, got shot." He worded his broken sentence carefully. He didn't want to tell Daniel that he hadn't been eating very well for the past few months due to money being so tight; it was ether rent or food. He actually got dizzy while reaching for the criminal's weapon. He was too late. In truth though it was careless.

"Clothes." He needed to know. He felt naked. And was once again glad to have a blank face that couldn't show him blushing.

"No wait. You were never so careless Rorschach. My bet is, is that, um..." He could feel Rorschach glaring at him. His mask swirling faster, a sure sign of annoyance. He figured there was no easy way of doing this. "You uh... You're not taking care of yourself are you?" Daniel paused. The swirling mask slowed for a moment before returning to its "regular" pace. _Yep definitely no going back now. _"You're really, really thin Rorschach."

"Daniel?"

"Yes, Rorschach?" He half expected to have something thrown at him for getting to personal.

"Clothes." Rorschach said it as calmly and annunciated as clearly and precisely as possible.

Daniel sighed in defeat. "They're at the dry cleaners. I guess I should go pick them up. They should be done by now."

"Why at drycleaners?" Rorschach knew his clothes were dirty, he knew he was dirty too. Probably stank a little. But if he could help it he would go days without showering. Fluoride conspiracy not fully investigated. If he was going to die it wasn't going to be from cancer due to personal hygiene. In fact he shouldn't even have drunk the water, but he was so God Damned thirsty.

"Why?!" Daniel Repeated. "Oh I don't know! Blood? Dirt? The smell perhaps?!... Sorry." He looked at his injured friend lying on his couch, too weak to sit up on his own. He didn't feel right yelling at him. But he couldn't help but feel irritated… or concerned…both? Yes both. He always knew that Rorschach was built. Fit. The perfect fighting machine despite his size. But now he wasn't only built but terribly thin.

Without waiting for a response he took the empty glass back to the kitchen and again filled it with water. He didn't have much food on stock cause he ate out more often than not. But he managed to scrounge up two bananas, and half a box of crackers, and of course a few sugar cubes.

"Here, it's not much but I know you, uh... You're probably hungry after sleeping for four days." He set the water and random food items on a coffee table, making sure everything was within reach. Rorschach had shifted himself to face the back of the couch. Sleeping? Covered up in the blanket so nothing but his 'face' was showing.

He put a hand on his shoulder, Rorschach flinched. Daniel sighed. _Poor bastard_.

"I'm going to get your clothes Rorschach. There's some food and water on the coffee table. It's not much but it's all I really have right now. Don't think of doing anything stupid like leaving. I'll be back soon with your clothes."

"Hmm."

Daniel took that as an okay to go; reluctantly he left his ex-partner to his own defenses. Locking the door behind him.


End file.
